This invention relates in general to wastewater handling, and in particular, the invention relates to an improved deck drain pipe having features to promote simple and reliable mounting to a planar surface such as a wooden beam.
Prefabricated plastic drain conduit is commonly used for drainage of decking around swimming pools. The typical conduit has a complex, often asymmetrical cross section that requires specialized connectors for attaching standard lengths of conduit together to span the entire length of a particular installation. To reduce the need for specialized connectors, the drain channel can be formed with a circular cross section adapted to couple with standard pipe.
When a concrete wall or other vertical surface forms the edge of a pool deck, the drain conduit is often secured to the vertical surface using concrete nails. These nails have to be driven into the concrete with greater force than nails driven into wood, which often results in cracking of the conduit, or deformation or misalignment of the conduit. Excessive deformation can lead to premature loss of the conduit""s structural integrity and reduces draining capacity. Misaligned conduit forms a tripping hazard, prevents complete drainage, and is unsightly.
A need remained for a deck drain conduit that can be coupled with standard pipe, and has provisions to permit nailing the conduit to a support without unacceptable deformation or misalignment. As always, a deck drain that is reliable and long-lasting and can be made at minimal expense was also desired.
In general, a deck drain having the desired features and advantages is achieved by a main channel having a circular cross section, a top section having a top face designed to mount flush with the decking surface, and a mid section interconnecting the top section and the main channel. Nail guiding means attach to the mid section for accepting and directing a nail, preferably a concrete nail, through the mid section to secure the conduit to a support. Preferably, the nail guiding means comprises a pair of parallel planar projections extending away from the mid section, with each projection terminating at the end distal to the mid section in a flange to strengthen the projection and provide a surface for the nail head to press against.
A base plate extends out tangentially from the bottom of the main channel, allowing the conduit to stand unaided on a leveled surface. In addition, for each side of the conduit, the end of the base plate, the flanges on the nail guide projections, and a vertical wall of the top section are all aligned along a vertical axis to permit the conduit to be stably secured against a vertical surface without rocking. The base plate additionally acts as an anchor plate in installations where concrete is poured into the space on one or both sides of the conduit.
The main channel, mid section and top section are arranged along a major axis transverse to and intersecting with the main channel centerline. The advantages already discussed can be achieved with an asymmetrical conduit, i.e. one having the nail guiding means and the base plate located on only one side of the cross-sectional profile of the conduit. However, a symmetrical cross-sectional profile is preferred.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will become apparent in the following detailed description and in the drawings.